Leave a Message

Thank you for your message. We will be in touch with you shortly.

See where Orange County’s largest rent hikes are in 2025

Mike Doyle April 11, 2025

Orange County rents grew considerably faster at the start of 2025, compared with what apartment seekers found a year earlier.

My trusty spreadsheet reviewed rent stats from ApartmentList, which showed Orange County rents rose 1% in the first three months of the year to a median $2,546 for a typical unit. That jump is more than double the 0.4% increase in the same period in 2024. ApartmentList combines pricing patterns from its rental listings with government rent-cost data to create its rent indexes.

Rents rose as a brief apartment building boom cooled and demand grew. Unaffordable prices to buy housing also are keeping wannabe homeowners as tenants. Slow but steady job creation is creating new households. And then there are the families who lost homes in January’s Los Angeles wildfires seeking temporary places to live.

Apartment List tracked 15 of the most-populous cities in Orange County and 12 had either larger rent hikes or smaller dips. Huntington Beach and Brea had early 2025’s largest increases.

Surf City rents rose 2.5% in the year’s first three months to $2,547 vs. a 0.3% rise at 2024’s start. Brea was up 2.5% to $2,545 vs. a 0.6% rise in 2024.

The biggest dip was in Laguna Niguel, off 3.3% in early 2025 to $2,999 vs. a 0.9% fall to start 2024.

Rents in other Orange County communities, ranked by their 2025 start …

Newport Beach: Up 2.3% in 2025’s first three months to $3,296 – Orange County’s priciest spot – compared to the 3% rise to start 2024.

Fullerton: Up 2.2% in early 2025 to $2,374 vs. 1.1% last year.

San Clemente: Up 2.1% in early 2025 to $2,548 vs. 0.2% rise in 2024.

Costa Mesa: Up 1.9% in early 2025 to $2,575 vs. 0.6% increase last year.

Orange: Up 1.8% in early 2025 to $2,551 vs. 1.8% rise in 2024.

Anaheim: Up 1.8% in early 2025 to $2,312 vs. a 1.2% decrease last year.

Rancho Santa Margarita: Up 1.8% in early 2025 to $2,730 vs. 0.7% fall in 2024.

Lake Forest: Up 1.7% in early 2025 to $3,205 vs. 1.9% fall in 2024.

Aliso Viejo: Up 0.9% in early 2025 to $3,005 vs. 0.4% decrease last year.

Santa Ana: Up 0.5% in early 2025 to $2,193 – Orange County’s cheapest spot – vs. 1.8% fall in 2024.

Irvine: Off 0.2% in early 2025 to $3,044 vs. 0.5% decrease last year.

Mission Viejo: Off 0.3% in early 2025 to $2,924 vs. 1.7% rise in 2024.

PS: Looking across California, rents are up 1.7% in early 2025 to $1,884 compared to a 0.8% bump last year. Nationally, rents rose 0.8% to open 2025 to $1,216 after a 0.6% dip to start last year.

 

Recent Blog Posts

Stay up to date on the latest real estate trends.

Housing Market Forecasts for the Rest of 2025

If you’ve been watching the market, you’ve likely noticed a few changes already this year. But what’s next? From home prices to mortgage rates, here’s what the latest … Read more

New Changes to an Environmental Law Could Create a Real Estate Boom in California

Housing developers may have thrown their hard hats into the air to celebrate the news that California Governor Gavin Newsom is reforming the California Environmental Q… Read more

An Operating Costs Crisis That’s Driving Many Landlords Out of Business

Over the past year, the gap between the number of active sellers and active buyers has widened to its largest margin since the wake of the Great Recession. According t… Read more

Real Estate

Key Questions to Ask During an Open House in Fountain Valley, CA

Essential Inquiries for Prospective Homebuyers in Fountain Valley

Half of OC has home-price declines. How did your ZIP do?

The priciest ZIP was Newport Beach 92661 with a $5.7 million median. Cheapest? Santa Ana 92701 at $447,000.

Think No One’s Buying Homes Right Now? Think Again.

If you’ve seen headlines saying home sales are down compared to last year, you might be thinking – is it even a good time to sell? 

Think It’s Better To Wait for a Recession Before You Move? Think Again.

Fear of a recession is back in the headlines. And if you’re thinking about buying or selling sometime soon, that may leave you wondering if you should reconsider the t… Read more

Rent vs. buy: LA-Orange County renters might save $105,000 over 5 years

Well, local renters enjoy the nation’s fourth-largest savings between what landlords charge and the cost of financing a house purchase.

Redfin Joins the Parade of Housing Bears—How Does Their Prediction Stack Up?

Let's Connect

For expert real estate services, reach out to Mike Doyle. Whether you're buying, selling, or renting, navigate the process with confidence. Contact him today to ensure a smooth and informed real estate journey.